Catherine Hardwicke has closed a deal to direct the “Miss Bala” remake for Sony, TheWrap has learned.
The film is an adaptation of Mexico’s 2011 Oscar submission for the Best Foreign Language Film.
The original film, directed by Gerardo Naranjo, centers on a woman named Laura who, along with her friend, enters a Miss Baja beauty competition. But during rehearsals, she witnesses a gang killing DEA agents and nightclub-goers and is then kidnapped by the gang and forced to work for them in the deadly drug war.
According to the studio the new film will follow a woman named Gloria Meyer, who finds herself a pawn in a dangerous game being played by the CIA, the DEA and a charismatic young crime boss after her friend Suzu goes missing in Tijuana, Mexico.
Kevin Misher of Misher Films and Pablo Cruz of Canana Films are producing the remake with Andy Berman executive producing.
Hardwicke has a reputation for directing films that feature strong female leads, including the 2015 Drew Barrymore-Toni Collette film “Miss You Already,” 2013’s “Plush,” 2011’s “Red Riding Hood” and the 2008 hit “Twilight.”
Hardwicke is also attached to the film “Stargirl” with Joey King. She is repped by CAA and Manage-ment.
Every 2017 Studio Movie With a Female Director, From 'Wonder Woman' to 'Pitch Perfect 3' (Photos)
Patty Jenkins and Lucia Aniello are two of the seven female directors whose movies for the major studios are getting wide releases in 2017
January 6: "Underworld: Blood Wars"
Anna Foerster made her directorial debut on the fifth installment in the action series starring Kate Beckinsale as a badass vampire hunter.
Sony Screen Gems
April 21: "Unforgettable" (Warner Bros.)
"Unforgettable" stars Katherine Heigl, Rosario Dawson and Whitney Cummings and is directed by Denise Di Novi.
Warner Bros.
May 19: "Everything, Everything" (Warner Bros.)
"Everything, Everything" is directed by Stella Meghie and follows a girl who is allergic to everything and isolates herself but falls in love with the boy next door.
Warner Bros.
June 2: "Wonder Woman" (Warner Bros.)
Patty Jenkins directed the DC Comics film starring Gal Gadot as the warrior princess of the Amazonian people a.k.a. Diana Prince.
Warner Bros.
June 16: "Rough Night" (Sony)
"Rough Night," previously called "Rock That Body," is Sony's only female-directed release this year. Lucia Aniello's comedy stars Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon and Jillian Bell as women on a bachelorette party from hell.
Sony
July 28: "An Inconvenient Sequel" (Paramount)
Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk co-directed the sequel to Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary After Al Gore's environmental documentary "The Inconvenient Truth."
Paramount
December 22: "Pitch Perfect 3" (Universal)
After Elizabeth Banks dropped out as the director, Trish Sie stepped in to helm the third film in the "Pitch Perfect" franchise. Rebel Wilson, Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow return as collegiate a capella singers.
Universal
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Studios continue to lag when it comes to hiring female directors
Patty Jenkins and Lucia Aniello are two of the seven female directors whose movies for the major studios are getting wide releases in 2017